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Head Coach Jack Del Rio Wraps Friday's Practice

Look at what Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio had to say during his media availability Friday.

Head Coach Jack Del Rio

Opening Statement: “OK, Fast Friday, Thanksgiving edition. Small group. Alright, we’re ready to roll. We had a good week of practice. Looking forward to getting out in front of our home fans. It’s been five weeks, I think, since we were last in front of our home fans. So, looking forward to having them out. Good divisional game so looking forward to it. Questions?”

Coach Del Rio: “Again, I’m at the mercy of those that are the experts in that field. He got a scratch on his eye. That was what occurred there. Came in this week and had some symptoms so we put him into the protocol and he went through the protocol. I believe he’s in the final steps now of clearing. We’ll get that final clearance he’ll play. If we don’t, he’ll be down. That’s a question mark going in that hasn’t yet been fully resolved, but since he came in and had the symptoms he had, those have gone away and everything else is checking out. We anticipate having him.”

Coach Del Rio: “Good. It’s something we do. It’s kind of a ‘Woodson Wednesday.’ We did it a lot with Charles toward the end of his career. We’ve had good success with guys that have taken a heavy load, being smart with them on that Wednesday. So, it’s just a rest day.”

Q: Not related at all to any feelings regarding the firing of Ken Norton, Jr.?

Coach Del Rio: “No. Not even in the slightest really. It’s kind of funny, well not funny, but it was noted by Vic [Tafur] and I haven’t even had a chance to talk to Vic. I understand where he can draw the wrong conclusion there, but we’re in good shape. The guys understand. It wasn’t anything personal.”

Q: There’s a 50 percent chance of rain on Sunday.

Coach Del Rio: “A little bit higher than that from what my phone told me. I’m not a weatherman, you’ve been in the weather business. It looks like it’s going to be wet. We’re expecting it to be wet Sunday. We’re prepared for it to be wet Sunday.”

Q: How do you prepare for it being wet at practice?

Coach Del Rio: “We make sure that the skill people handle some wet balls. We understand the footing that we’re going to need to have. Things like that. We do what we can as a staff to prepare our guys to understand. The bottom line is you go out and have fun. When we were kids, we didn’t care if it was raining. We’d go out and play and have fun. That’s what we’re going to look for on Sunday. Go out and compete and have fun.”

Q: Wind can have a more of an effect.

Coach Del Rio: “I think wind is really the biggest detriment to game plans. We don’t expect to be as windy as it can be in certain places, but it’ll be a little bit windy but mostly wet.”

Coach Del Rio: “I just like the way he came back from that whole suspension. I think he’s come back with real zest. Real exuberance to run the ball and to be on point with things. I like the way he’s approached it. I think he’s getting a better feel for what we want to do with him, and we’re getting a better feel for what we can do with him. I think since he’s come back he’s been really good.”

Q: Do you feel like his load is between 11 and 18 carries?

Coach Del Rio: “Optimal. It could be a little more. I’d like to push him and get him a little more. Obviously, that’s a matter of us doing things that I spoke to earlier in the week with getting the possessions offensively, converting on third down which allows more possession, more snaps and opportunities. That’s a big part of it.”